Headlight



Nov. 1, 1927. 7 1,647,150

w. DA. RYAN HEADLIGHT Filed Sept. 2, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fi q. 1.

Inventor: Walla-r Z Hi5 zuttorng.

1 647,150 Nov. 1, 1927. w. RYAN HEADLIGHT Filed Sept. 2, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inve ml or:

Hi5 Attorney Patented Nov; 1,1927. 7

UNITED. STATES PATENT. OFFICE- WALTER IIJABCY RYAN, OF SGHENECTADY, YORK,

HEADLIGHT.

Application filed September 2, 1924. Serial No. 735,405.

. closed a headlamp comprising a comparatively shallow reflector, a lens, and a source of light arranged so that While the reflector projects sufiicient light forwardly adequately to illuminate the roadway, another portion of the light from the source passes directly through the marginal portions of the lens for illuminating the areas at the sides of the road ,immediately adjacent the veh1cle and the front portion of the vehicle. 0

My present invention is. concerned wlth the provision of a headlight havlng s1m1lar characteristics but in which I: make use of a reflector of comparatively. short focal length, so that the light source is located inside of the plane passing through the edge' of the reflector.

Another object of my present invention is to provide a headlight, such as descrlbed.

comprising means for illuminating certain areas lying to the rear of the headlight, so as to illuminate the roadway in advance of the vehicle when the operator turns into a cross road. In addition, my lnvention contemplates .the provision'of a headlight, such as described, that is simple in construction-and economical to manufacture.

Other objects of my invention Wlll appear as this description progresses, reference be,- ing had to the accompanying drawlngs, in which Figure 1 is aside elevation, partially 1n section, of my improved headlight;

Figure 2 is a front elevation, portions being broken away; and

Figures 3 and 4 are views simllar to Flgures 1 and 2, respectively, showing a modified form of my invention.

The embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures land 2 comprises a casing 2, having a door including a supporting ring 3 that may be hinged, or otherwise attached, to the casing 2 as may be desired. A lens 4 is supported by the ring 3 and held in place by clips 5 secured to the ring. A reflector 6. is mounted in the casing and carries the centrally disposed socket 7 for receivin the electric lamp 8. The reflector is held in place by the collar 9, that is attachedto the casing 2, and the clamping ring 10.

The lens, asshown, is bowl-shaped and disposed with its convex surface outwardly. The thickness of the lens is substantially uniform throughout, as shown in Figure 1.

An annular, conoidal, auxiliary reflector 11 is mounted within the lens 4 and securedin place by the brackets 12, the inner ends of which ,are clamped between the collar 5 and the lens 4.

The lens 4 has an annular, marginal zone 13 that extends substantially parallel with the axis of the reflector 6. The reflecting surface of the auxiliary reflector 11 is disposed toward, and preferably overlaps, the marginal portions of the reflector 6 in such manner as to reflect the rays reflected by the marginal portions of the reflector 6 through the annular zone 13 of the lens 4. ,The reflector 11 may be so disposed, relatively to the axis of the reflector 6, that it'will reflect the light not only at substantially right angles to the axis of the latter reflector, but will also reflect light to' the rear of the headlight, as indicated by the arrows 14. These features of my improved headlight are of very considerable value in that while the major portion of the light is reflected as a beam directly ahead of the vehicle, as indicated by the arrows 15, that part of the light reflected to the side and to the rear of the headlight provides means for illuminating sign posts and other direction indicia located at the sides of the roads, and also illuminates the road ahead of the operator when he turns into a cross road.

The modified form of my invention illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 is similar to Figure 1, except that in the modified form I-prefer to make use of a plurality of auxiliaryreflectors 16, 17 and 18 that are supported by brackets 19, secured in the same manner as the brackets 12 in Figures 1 and 2. These reflectors progressively increase in width, from the inner one to the outer one, and each one is tilted slightly more than the preceding inner one, so as to provide a comparatively large area, or zone, at the side and to the rear of the headlight.

It will be apparent, from the inspection flector, and

of Figure 3, that the auxiliary reflectors intercept some of the direct rays and some of the reflected rays from the source of light and divert these rays to the side of the vehicle.

The auxiliary reflectors 11, 16, 17 and 18 may be plain conoids, or they may be ellipsoidal, hyperboloidal, paraboloidal or have any other suitable curvature.

The reflector 6 may be made of metal, glass or any other suitable material, but the auxiliary reflectors are preferably made of sheet metal, having suitable reflecting surfaces disposedtoward the main reflector.

While I have described the details of construction of the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be clearly understood that my invention is not limited to these details, but is capable of other adaptations and modifications withm the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my inventlon, what "I claim is 1. A headlight comprising a reflector, the focus of which lies inside the plane of the edge of there flector, a bowl-shapedlens for said reflector, said lens being substantially uniform in thickness and havmg a marginal zone lying outwardly beyond the edge of said reflector, said marginal zone being substantially parallel with the axis of t e rea plurality of reflector rings located within said lens and positioned to reflect outwardly through said marginal zone the light reflected from the marginal ortions of said reflector, the light reflected om the central portion of said reflector assing through the central openings in sai rings at least one of said rings having a conoi al and casing to reflect outwardly memes 1 reflecting surface disposed toward said reflector.

2. A headlight comprising a reflector, the focus of which lies inside the plane of the edge of the reflector, a lens for said reflector having a marginal zone lying outwardly beyond the edge of said reflector, and a plurality of reflector rings located within'said lens and positioned to reflect outwardly through said marginal zone the light reflected from the marginal portions of said reflector. I

3. A headlight comprising a casing and a reflector, the focus of which lies inside the plane of the edgeof the reflector, a'bowl shaped lens for said reflector having a marginal zone lying outwardly beyond the edge of said reflector, said marginal zone being substantially parallel with the axis of the reflector, and an annular reflector ring located within said lens and positioned forwardly of the marginal edge of said reflector and casing to reflect outwardly through said marginal zone the light reflected from the marginal portions of said reflector.

4. A headlight comprising a casing and a reflector, the focus ofwhich lies inside of the plane of the edge of the reflector, a lens for said reflector, and an annular reflector ring located within said lens and positioned forwardly of the marginal edge of said reflector 4 through the lateral portions of said lens the light reflected from the marginal portions of said reflector.

Izi'witnes's whereof, I hereunto subscribe my .name this 5th day of August, 1924;.

WALTER DARCY RYAN. 

